Speaking in Hands
by Yunnora Lovespell
Summary: You, dear reader, are busy at work when 'the man who speaks in hands' comes to pay you a visit. Your employer, Grillby, is not amused by Gaster's intrusion. Tensions are high and so is your sense of awareness. Reader/Grillby, Reader/Gaster.


**Hey guys!**

 **So I went a head and did a thing. A Gaster thing. Lol I admit I love W.D. Gaster and the mystery around him. I've read a few good fics about Gaster, especially when they had things to do with the reader or Sans and Papyrus. So I figured it was time to write one of my own.**

 **This one is a little different though. This one is about Gaster, the wicked scientist, and you the reader. With a splash of Grillby thrown into the mix. Why? Because he's _hot_ (Bu-dum tss). Also it's written in 2nd person. Which can be both challenging and fun to write in.**

 **Hope you guys like it a ton, a _skele_ -ton ;D  
**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Phew." You sigh silently, brushing the back of your wrist across your forehead.

Today was proving to be a tough day at the bar. You hadn't expect such an influx of customers and had nearly spent your entire afternoon running around like a chicken with its head cut off. All day long you were on your feet, delivering drinks and burgers and putting up with the occasional drunk that stumbled in. Your employer, Grillby, was currently behind the bar drying the last of his glasses. Thankfully the end of your shift was nearing and soon the bar would be locking up for the night.

Tomorrow would be a Sunday, you assume since there was no way of actually telling the day here in the underground. It was going to be your first day off in a week and you were looking forward to spending that time in the snow. Toriel had said she would bring the monster kids from her little school in the ruins on a field trip to Snowdin and you were looking forward to spending some time with her. The kids were a joy to be around, always so full of laughter and wonder, and Toriel knew just the right thing to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Grillby had been hesitant to give you the day off but it was nothing a pair of puppy eyes and a little begging couldn't fix. That always seemed to work on the fire monster and you weren't ashamed of using it to your every advantage.

Since gaining you as a beloved employee Grillby had been less and less inclined to give you time off. While you wouldn't exactly stroke your ego by saying it out right, you were good at your job, and with just one guy running the joint for a majority of the time you understood his reluctance. But tomorrow would be Monday, a typical slow day. He would be able to handle it just fine on his own. Just in case, you made a mental note to sweep and mop the floors extra squeaky clean so he wouldn't have to worry about it later. You loved your job as a server at Grillby's and took pride in your work- even if that meant putting up with the occasional jerk from time to time.

From your apron pocket you withdrew a rag and began wiping one of the many tables. You practically counted the seconds as they ticked away. Grillby had finished cleaning the dishes and had moved on to dusting off the bright neon sign on the wall. You paused in your work to ask him something but his back was turned to you. Instead of stopping your work to bug him you continued on to the next table, grimacing at the crumbs that dropped to the floor. Ugh. This will be the fourth time you've had to sweep the whole place through. Who knew monsters could be so messy?

Stuffing your rag back into your apron you turned to fetch the broom only for the entry bell to ring. Of course, you couldn't hear it. You were deaf after all, and the simple ring of a bell was easy to miss. Instead, at the back of the bar was a light that flashed; a vivid red pulse that immediately caught your attention. You perked up at once turning on your heels.

"Sorry, but we're closed for the ni-"

As a child you had learned the art of speaking. Instead of sound that allowed you to understand your words you could feel the dip in vibrations that tickled throat. You could never be certain if you spoke as clearly as you intended but the firm and soft resonations you felt were enough to convey any of your messages to those who were not hearing impaired. Often you spoke confidently, usually followed up with a smile when you weren't signing. Your words, unfortunately, fell short this evening as your eyes shifted from the dirty wood floor to the dark being looming in the door way. Black depths with pin prick specks of white gazed intensely at you from across the way, causing you to drop the broom in your hand.

The broom fell with a noisy clatter on the floor, causing Grillby to pause in his work.

You stumbled back, your bottom coming into contact with the table directly behind you. A lump formed in your throat and you attempted to swallow it down, even as your nerves crawled like ants up and down the center of your back. Of all the people who could possibly set foot in here it just had to be _him_.

"G-Gaster?"

Said skeletal being stood tall and confidently in his white lab coat, shoulders back and his head inclined. The lights of the bar had been dimmed, casting shadows across the doctor's face that flickered like living flames. He nodded to you in greeting, stepping further into Grillby's establishment without uttering a single syllable. All the while never tearing his eyes from you. His stare made your insides quake with fear and your feet felt permanently welded to the ground.

If you could sum up this man in a single word 'gargantuan' would be it.

W.D. Gaster was insanely intelligent and committed largely to his work as the Royal Scientist. His countenance screamed majesty and there was an illustriousness about him that demanded the upmost respect and attention whenever he stepped into a room. When he spoke all ears hung on to his every word, making him and this invisible power he seemed to wield over people that much larger. In retrospect he was just like any other monster however it almost felt like he wasn't. As if the laws of time and space didn't concern themselves with him.

But that was impossible. Everyone was at the mercy of time, even big name doctors with fancy Phd's and black smiles that could make a human like you shake to your utter most core. Scrambling to collect yourself you stand as tall as you can manage, brushing back the wild strands of your hair that had fallen out of place. He stood there, waiting patiently for you to say something. You couldn't decipher what but you had to say something. Anything to break the focus burning hole right through you.

Clearing your throat, you force on a smile. "Ah. Gaster. I-I didn't see you there."

The doctor said nothing, only inclining his head. Inwardly you huffed. It appeared Gaster wasn't inclined to speak at the moment. Instead his hands rose up from his sides, every swipe and curve of his fingers dancing in the air like silken strings. Just as soft and as smooth as the tenor he was capable of speaking with. But instead of speaking words he signed them just for you. Your eyes bounced along with every precise gesture he made, recognition of every word making your insides twist.

[That is quite alright my dear.] A cool smile stretched its way across his face. [I have been searching for you for a while.]

The sleeves of his lab coat rolled down to his elbows, revealing the sleeves of his silk black button down. Beneath that was a cyan colored turtleneck that fit like skin to his bones, his hips and legs covered by black body hugging slacks. Without his coat you could almost imagine him as any other monster but the little badge hanging from his pocket declared him as anything but. The badge which held his ID served as his key to the lab in Hotland as well. The very same lab you knew like the back of your hand and was strictly off limits to others.

And how did you come to know about the lab and the infamous scientist? Well, some time ago, you had worked for Gaster as his assistant.

At the time you were his newest intern, eager to learn and the quickest to be accepted above all the other applicants waiting and yearning to learn from his brilliant work. You hadn't known much about him then, other than the fact he was obsessed with learning about humans. Seeing as you were a human you had offered your services to him in order to learn a little more about monsters, aiding him as both an intern and a test subject for all his enthusiastic inquires. And it had been great. For the six months it lasted.

The man was passionate. There was no denying it but after several months of getting to know him, of being psychoanalyzed and prodded with needles, you realized something was off. Something about the tests and Gaster's shifting attitude had you on edge. In the beginning he had been kind and patient. So easy to work with but soon after his approach intensified. His gentle hold became firm, his words reaching further inside of you than you ever thought possible.

Closer he crept, hounding you with questions that made you feel both sick and vulnerable. He made you think of things you never had before, awakening something feral and frightening inside of you. His presence had overwhelmed you to the point of distraction. His uncanny ability to read you like an open book drove you to edge of frustration, revealing that there was only so much of his overbearing existence you could take. At the very end of the sixth month you had put in your two weeks, sad to leave your job as his assistant but happy to finally be able to rid yourself of his... invasiveness.

That wasn't to say you disliked him. In fact you held Gaster in the highest regards possible, but you thought it was time to move on. You had learned much from him and it was possible he had learned all he could from you, so it only made sense to spread your wings and fly the coop so-to-speak.

However, when Gaster found out… he wasn't pleased. No, displeasure was putting it far too lightly.

He had been furious. Out raged.

He demanded to know why you no longer wanted to work for him. It broke your heart to tell him and the other scientists the truth but you never felt inclined to lie to him. After all was said and done, however, you wished you had. Gaster had fought hard to keep you around, arguing you straight into the ground until every night of your remaining two weeks were spent balling your eyes out in guilt. But you had stayed determined. His latching onto you like some fluttering life line was more than enough proof that your presence was becoming a hindrance to his work. There were plenty of other experiments he could investigate; books to write and theories to hypothesize, but he seemed stuck on you.

That alone frightened you.

But at Grillby's was whole other story. Here you felt welcomed- maybe even loved. When Grillby stared at you it was with warmth and understanding, not the cold hungry glare that often sent you running for your sanity. Here the patrons liked you. Not like the jealous scientists that often talked smack behind your back. And you know they did. You were deaf, not stupid; as you often told them.

Standing here before Gaster now sent chills of the coldest kind dancing up and down your spine. His stare was still profound and under it you felt as small as an ant. His gaze swept over you, eyeing the wild tendrils of your loosened hair down to the shiny black flats Toriel had made for you. Your fingers twitched behind your back, gripping the edge of the table in a bid to gain control of yourself.

You cleared your throat, attempting to speak with your voice once more and praying he didn't hear the stammer you felt seizing your throat.

"S-sorry. I've just been so busy." You grin, the smile not quite reaching your eyes. "How have you been? How's Alphys?"

The Wingdings master as you called him continued on signing like it was nothing. He had learned many of the symbols from you but had somehow found time between his experimenting on you and sleeping to learn the language of hands himself. He signed so fluently you never would have known he could hear just by the ease he did it with. Often times you caught yourself forgetting he could hear, lost in silent conversation before one of his many scientist came galumphing by with a stack full of statistics. Even now you were having a hard time staying aware of your surroundings, a metaphorical spot light shining on just the two of you as your attention was full captured by him.

[Alphys is well. She, as well as the others, miss you at the lab.] He signed, his gaze narrowing just the slightest in earnest. [I miss you.]

You bit into your lip, rolling the soft flesh about between your teeth. Gaster seemed to be watching the move very closely, the pinpricks in his sockets flickering with deepening interest.

You sigh, feeling that familiar haunt of sensations creeping up the slender column of your neck, dusting your cheeks in a light shade of pink.

[Don't you miss us?] He signed with a teasing grin.

You open your mouth to respond by nothing comes forth. Of course you miss everyone back at the lab. Why would he even ask that? But still you could not bring yourself to say the words. Something inside of you was warning you to stay out of the verbal trap he was laying.

It took a moment for the doctor to respond any further, his hands moving with slowed grace when he realized you weren't going to reply.

[Sans and Papyrus ask about you often. What should I say to them?]

You shrugged. "Tell them I have been busy. I'll come by their house one day soon."

Gaster didn't seem to like that answer. The light in his eyes had sharpened, his hand gestures tightening in quick quips.

[Sign.]

You frowned and he repeated the gesture again, this time a bit more firmly.

[Sign. Be proud of your language.]

You huffed, annoyance immediately showing on your face. You would have said something about the pot calling the kettle black but you were above such snide remarks. However you caved to his request, well more like a demand, and threw up your hands in a rather angry motion. Regardless of your feelings, he seemed pleased with it.

[Ok fine. Enough idle chit-chat.] You sighed through your nose. [What do you want?]

Gaster smiled proudly at you, resuming his own end of the conversation.

[To bring you home.]

Your eyes widened, your hands flying in quick succession. [Home? You mean back to Hotland?]

[Yes.] He signed, smiling.

You were so overcome with shock you nearly forgot how to sign what you were going to say next, fingers twisting and shaking in the wake of his admittance. Furiously you shake your head.

[No.]

The corners of his smile tipped downward. [Surely you can see you do not belong here.]

You shook your head again. [I like it here. This is home to me.]

The look on the doctor's face darkened, his frown making it's ugly presence known as he signed at you with quick precise movements. His body language conveyed his displeasure to the max, his fingers moving almost too quickly for you to keep up with.

[You are my assistant. Not a servant of this low class establishment.]

You gawked. Grillby's was no low class establishment. Of that you were damn sure. You cooked with the best ingredients and had top notch service. Oh you were offended now. You were so not going to stand there and take his insulting your job.

[Do not disrespect my place of work.] You signed back. [It's not perfect but its home to me.]

At this point Gaster was outright glaring at you, white pupils piercing right through your flesh and into your very SOUL. You swallowed the lump in your throat, leaning back against the table behind you for support.

[This is no home.] He signed firmly. [Return with me to the lab. There you have all that you could ever want.]

You sneered at him. [And how would you know what I want?]

At that the doctor dared step closer. His very being loomed right over you like an opposing shadow. The number of feet separating you declined, becoming mere inches as he came closer to you still. Just like back in the lab. It was as if he had no sense of personal space. Already you could feel the coolness of his body chilling your own, your eyes wanting to avoid his at any cost; but you kept your gaze steady. You were determined not to be intimidated by him like you had before.

[I know much about you little human.] He signed affectionately. [I know that inside you yearn for something great.]

Your eyes widen in surprise. Was he wrong? No. But was he right? You were afraid to say.

[You have a beauty about you that outshines the rest. An anomaly among humans it seems.] You never felt more eaten by a gaze in your life. [I must study you further.]

You couldn't stop staring into his eyes. You felt drawn to them like a moth to a flame. A bright red and yellow flame. A flickering flare of magic that had the power to burn and yet not to burn. To envelope you in a hug of warmth and comfort. Oh wait, that was just Grillby.

Wait what? Grillby?!

You gasped as a wall of fire threw itself between you and the body hovering directly over you. A dance of red and yellow lit up your face in a soft orange glow, a powerful heat warming your chest and face as you turned to acknowledge your employer of all people standing at your side, effectively placing himself between you and the scientist.

Not many could read the expressions on the flame monster's face but you had grown used to the subtle flickers that danced behind his glasses. Like Gaster, he was not too pleased with the exchange but for a completely different reason. Gaster didn't bother to hide his annoyance and shifted his gaze to the other monster. He cocked a single brow, giving the flame monster a single insulting once over. The look on his face said he was anything but amused with the bar owner.

"If you wouldn't mind, the young lady and I are quite busy." Gaster said, his tenor reverberating like violin strings through the room.

The flame monster understood him perfectly but without the vocals to respond he was forced to remain silent. So he glared at the doctor instead. He knew the skeleton understood sign language but he wasn't even going to bother with this cur. He signed for only one other person in the world and that person was you.

When Grillby made no move to remove himself Gaster lowered his brow.

"I see." He sighed. "Such impudence."

You glared up at Gaster. He didn't have the lips for you to read but you were sure whatever he said wouldn't have flown by you.

"This is my employer." You said, catching the doctor's attention once more. "Grillby. He owns the bar."

Gaster hummed, tapping a single bony finger to his cheek. [I see. I assume you cater to the menial needs of your patrons.] He smirked. "Pathetic."

Grillby's glare intensified, the heat radiating off of him nearly burning your face. You flinched back, slipping around the flame monster to put more distance between you and them. Grillby was acting as your shield and you couldn't be any more grateful. You wanted so badly to make it out the fire exit but you weren't certain you could get away unseen. Grillby would no doubt chase after you and Gaster, well, you wouldn't be surprised if he just appeared out of thin air and took you back to the lab before you could even blink. He had that kind of talent, and knowing that shook you down to your very core. No man, monster or human, should ever be endowed with such incredibility.

Gaster's eyes, however, followed after you like heat seeking missiles. He followed your every move, eating you up entirely with his seemingly endless depths. Somehow you managed to make it behind the bar, busying yourself with tasks Grillby had already taken care of. You scrubbed out a clean glass just for the sake of something to do, hoping the physical action would ease the tension building up inside of you.

Grillby stood tall, matching Gaster's height with his own. With you away he was free to throw up his hands to sign a few choice words of his own.

[Get out.]

Gaster merely grinned a skeletal smile though the light never reached his eyes "Oh you sign as well? How quaint."

Grillby kept at it. [You will leave my employee alone. They work for me now. Not you.]

Gaster tilted his head back, giving an indignant snort in the process. "Do you honestly think they deserve to be treated as lowly as they are here?" He stretched out his arms, grinning wickedly. "The human obviously belongs within the safe sanctity of my lab walls. Where their abilities can be cherished and strengthened."

The bar owner wasn't deterred in the slightest bit. [Should I escort you out then?]

Gaster chuckled, knowing the full well you could not hear a single syllable of it. "You could try but we both know what little power you do have couldn't possibly stand up to mine."

The flame monster ran his thumb beneath his nose, his fire flickering in several warm shades. If Gaster was up for a fight Grillby was ready to throw down. Regardless of power a gentleman would never let some scum pile disrespect his loyal companion. He had grown to enjoy your company and frankly he had enough power to get a point across if need be. This bar was his turf and he wasn't the least bit put off by Gaster's verbal hostility.

[We're closing. Please leave.]

"As soon as what I have to say to the human comes to pass then I shall happily remove myself from this cockroaches' domicile."

From your place behind the bar you watched the two monsters as they had their quiet exchange. You couldn't understand Gaster's end of the conversation but you were quick to pick up on Grillby's agitation. You felt bad for leaving the bar owner alone to deal with the scientist but any longer and Gaster may have had you eating out of the palm of his hand. Lord knows how many times he managed that while under his thumb. How he managed to do that with just about anyone was beyond you. However it didn't seem to be working on Grillby and inwardly you wept with relief. At least you had someone on your side that didn't fall so easily for his ticks.

Gaster turned towards you and waved you over. Your gaze snapped over to Grillby who hadn't taken his eyes off Gaster, hoping to receive some kind of sign to fight or retreat, but you received none. Not wanting to be rude you made your slow approach back to them, rubbing your arm like a bashful child in the process.

[Yes Gaster?] You signed with wet and shaking hands.

He signed right back at you, his expression unreadable. [My doors are always open.]

You raise your hands to respond but the skeleton beats you to it.

[I know where you belong. You will eventually come to find that out on your own.] His eyes lock with yours, pulling you in further while the bar owner's fire combats the chill of the doctor's icy stare. [This ruse will not last.]

You gape at him, your fingers signing furiously. [This is no ruse Gaster. I mean it when I say I have found my home.]

Grillby's eyes flicker over your hands his flame flickers a single shade of sapphire at his core.

[Your home is with me. With Sans and Papyrus. Are they not your friends?] Gaster's face softens but deep down you know he is still just as ruthless about this as ever.

You sign back to him that yes they are your friends. That he is too but you needed to move on. The scientist of course just waved you off.

[You may believe whatever it is you wish my dear. Your determination, it fascinates me still. So long as your health is no place of concern I suppose see no need to intercede on your behalf. Yet.]

You your fingers nearly clap together as you sign passionately.

[I am an adult. I can care for myself.]

You can visibly see Gaster chuckling before he responds. [Of course.]

[Grillby is good to me. He is a wonderful person.]

Your cheeks being to brighten under both the doctor's and bartender's stare. From where you stood it felt like two pairs of needles piercing you from both sides, an icy hot conflagration prickling at your sensitive nerves. Gaster peers down at you as he might one of his experiments. Cautious and not so forthright with any base opinion he may have for that particular comment. Still you went on, smiling as you conveyed your joy at working in the bar.

[He and the patrons treats me kindly and with respect.] You cast a shy smile in Grillby's direction, brushing back a strand of your hair while still signing to Gaster. [If I'm lucky I may just get a promotion.]

Ok that was a lie. With just the manager around there really wasn't really any corporate ladder to climb. Nevertheless it brought a brought a smile to flame monster's face, his yellow flames beaming brilliantly in jest. This caused you to smile even wider.

Gaster clapped his hands, the movement drawing your attention back to him. You nearly huffed in return, crossing your arms over your chest but before he could even get a word in edge wise you spun around on your heels and walked away. You've officially reached your limit. Gaster's body was much too big, much too close to handle. His words were like molasses in your brain and to rid yourself of the muck like feeling you were swimming in, you sought out the freshness of the outside. Sure it was snowing rather hard tonight but it would be worth the gulp of fresh air you needed to feel normal again.

But you didn't get far.

Just as you reached for the door handle a slender black tendril shot out and wrapped around your wrist. The tight squeeze made you squeak, throwing you back before you felt the familiar dark energy that controlled it draw you back. Before you knew it you were thrown into a wall of fabric and bone, your face landing in the dead center of Gaster's chest. Long skeletal arms wound themselves around you, drawing in for tight and needy embrace.

You gasp, yours hands hanging uselessly in the air as you peered over Gaster's shoulder. You were in complete shock. Gaster he… he'd never used his power like this. Never. It rattled you from the inside out and you were sure he could hear your own bones rattling in utter disbelief. Grillby was staring back at you, his fists tightly clenched and lit in powerful flames. Around him balls of fire had sprung to life like giant burning stars, his glasses slipping just slightly off the bridge of his nose.

Gaster held you firmly, pressing his face into the crook of your neck in order to inhale your human scent. To you bones smelt like books but you had no idea what your body odor could possibly smell like to him. To monsters the smell must be twice as potent and you inwardly cringed at the thought of smelling like burgers fries. You may like the stuff but smelling like it was a whole other story. Swallowing gently you lower your arms to press against Gaster's chest. His body was cold, practically freezing, but you moved to push him away anyways.

"G-Gaster-" You said, pushing feebly at his chest. _Good lord is he strong_ , you thought offhandedly. "Please I am working still."

The scientist held you close, brushing his long bony fingers through your soft locks. Stunned still you watched as the tight expression on the scients's face morphed into something softer, less analytical and more… well, you weren't quite sure. His eyes were no longer sharp but did not dull in the slightest as his gaze swept across your blushing face. Inch by inch solid bone moved in precise rhythm over the fleshy mounds of your cheeks, tapping experimentally against your noggin before carving a round path down from the tip of your chin to your neck. With power alit you felt vulnerable to his touch. Just the slightest twitch and your head could be rolling just a few feet from you.

A breathy sigh escaped him and briefly you wondered what that could have sounded like. But you didn't hold onto the burning question for long as you felt the black forms of his magic recede. His hold was still firm, a hand now clamped around your upper arm as he held you closer still. Being this close you wondered if he could hear the wild thump of your heart as it summersaulted like crazy in your chest. It wouldn't be the first or the last time Gaster ever showed interest in that particular organ.

Sure enough his hand glided like ice down the column of your neck to the spot where you beating heart lay. He pressed his bony digits to it, pressing a little harder than you would have liked but these were doctor's hands after all. Without a heartbeat of his own he needn't worry about his body getting in the way of a reading. A fond smile spread across his face before he took his hands back.

[Strong as ever.]

You flushed a bright red. Or at least that was what it felt like as your face heated like a piece of coal to the flames licking about in the air at your side.

The doctor's eyes snapped to the side where the bar owner was standing. The flame monster stood as intimidatingly as he could, with his feet apart and shoulders squared. His magic was dancing about him in the shape of rolling fire spheres and while he would like to avoid burning down his own business he wasn't about to let this riffraff get away with harassing you. You meant something special to the bar owner whether you knew that or not and as much as he loved his business his top priority was your safety. Though he would never admit it out right. But you could see it transcending the wicked flick of his blazing body. He cared about you.

Gaster sniffed at him, the fever of Grillby's flame heating the entire room but hardly taking its toll on the scientist as the bar owner had hoped.

"Be gone with you."

Your eyes flicker between the two with realization. You may not have been able to lip read with Gaster but you understood that challenging gleam in his eye. No, no, no! Gaster would hurt Grillby! You couldn't have that.

"Stop." You demanded, signing as you shouted at the two of them. "No fighting."

Panicked and unsure what to do you placed yourself strategically between the skeleton and flame monster, keeping your eyes locked with Gaster's though they made you want to shrink into a tiny puddle at his feet. You loathed the feeling but sucked it up. You would protect your friends with your life, even if that meant doing something you hated.

[The lab.] You signed, earning his full attention. [Do you need help?]

You knew it was a bad idea but you were out of solutions. You couldn't think of a single thing that would get Gaster to leave and while you lamented losing out on a fun filled day with friends you knew this was the best option for getting the doctor to leave without causing too much of a fuss.

Swallowing you pushed a smile onto your face, your eyes dancing unsurely.

[Perhaps I can stop by and lend my assistance?]

The doctor's eyes lit with enthusiasm, his hands signing quickly. He was no fool. He knew exactly what you were doing, you could see the intelligence flickering with amusement in his eyes, but this time he would take the bait. For your sake. There was no promise the next time he met the bar owner that future encounters would end as peacefully. But you would take what you could get. You didn't want to see either of them get hurt. They meant the world to you, just as Sans, Toriel, Payrus, and all the other monsters did to you.

[Of course.] His ebony grin sent chills creeping under your skin in the form of goosebumps and this time you couldn't shake them off. [I have much I wish to accomplish and with your help it should accommodate for the lack of human subjects I have.]

You chuckle but you are sure the sound is shaky and nervous as you tell him you have the day off tomorrow. This delighted him.

[Report to the lab at 0600. Sans will have you prepped and we shall continue with where we left off. Is that feasible for you?]

You wanted to groan. "6 Am? You're insane." You exclaimed, twirling your finger beside your head. [Who in their right mind is up at that hour?]

Gaster chuckled some more. [It is best we get ahead in our results. Afterwards you will need plenty of rest.]

You swallowed but found it difficult to do so. Rest. That could only mean you were going to play the part of the test subject. Not the assistant. _Great_.

You asked him what the tests would entail but a single glance over her shoulder to the flame monster told her that bit of information was confidential. You sighed.

[You are presumptuous.] Then again when wasn't he when it came to his work? [Will I be back in time for my next shift?]

Gaster sighed through his nose but inclined his head. You nodded in acknowledgement. Man this really sucks. You were looking forward to getting out in the cold for a little and making snow angels with the kids from Toriel's school. You had also wanted to give her your personal recipe for homemade apple pie but it seems that would have to wait. What Gaster wanted he usually got. _Ugh. Spoiled skeleton_ , you mentally griped.

The doctor shifted on his feet, nodding towards the door. [Would you care for an escort home? It is late.]

Your face could have melted off your head at that moment. You shook your head, purposely avoiding his watchful eyes. Your shift may have ended half an hour ago but there was no reason he needed to know that tidbit of information right?

[I'm still on the clock.] You said with a simple shrug of the shoulders. [Maybe next time.]

Gaster hummed. [Then perhaps I could wait for you my dear? It would be no trouble on my part. I must ensure my favorite subject makes it home in one piece.]

The way Gaster signs the word home makes you want to hide under a rock. For the duration of your time in the underground you lived mainly with the skelebrothers. Living with Sans and Papyrus was great but because of San's strong connection to Gaster you had thought it wise to move out. Grillby had been kind enough to loan you a room back at his place while you looked for a place of your own but that had been weeks ago and quite frankly you and the bar owner were happy with the arrangement. If the doctor were to find out, well, you really didn't want to know. It was just safe to say he was invasive at the most inconvenient of times.

So to save face you picked the broom back up from the floor. A bead of sweat tickled the hairline at the base of your neck. Grillby's magic hadn't yet receded and you were burning up from it. Broom in hand you began sweeping the crumbs you had left on the floor, ignoring how your stomach twisted under his unreadable expression.

"It's ok." You said, feeling your mouth dry with every constant fighting against your tongue. "I'll see you at the lab."

Gaster smirked. "Excellent."

Your back was to him as you worked, the light of Grillby's magic casting shadows across the room, making it harder for you to see what you were doing. Technically you should be at home, warming up beneath a blanket on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa- not fighting the urge to swing your broom like it was a weapon out of pure frustration. Why can't you just be left alone? Why did Gaster have to come and remind you of the way he used to make you feel when he touched you? When he experimented with you… on you. Just thinking about it made you want to collapse into a pool of shivering goop. Gaster was a gentleman but so was Grillby, who had never touched you without your expressed permission. The doctor just did as he wanted, his every action cold and calculated. In control. Grillby on the other hand was spontaneous. Adventurously unpredictable. _Oh geeze._ Where were your thoughts going with this? You didn't even know anymore. Your brain checked out on you hours ago as it was.

You moved a chair to sweep beneath it only to come to a sudden halt. Cold bony fingers were now pressed to your chin, guiding your face away from the growing pile of dust on the floor to the dark being towering right over you. Black depths with starlight pin pricks peered down upon you with a fixed predators stare. You could feel his magic tickling your chin but you resisted the urge to draw back. He drew you in close, your faces mere inches apart as he once again inhaled your flustered scent.

"I await your return my dear." He whispers into your unhearing ear.

You feel the wash of his cold breath on your neck and you turn to remind him that speaking does no good only to feel the doctor's teeth press against your cheek. You give a tiny gasp, your chest rising against his own at the feel of his cold pearly whites pressing against your heated skin. A smile cracked across his features and he repeated the process, turning your head to kiss your other side of your face. By now your head feels like an inferno and you doubted it had anything to do with the withering glare Grillby was giving Gaster at that very moment.

Slowly the skeleton's polished teeth rose up to your forehead. It reminded you of the many good night kisses Sans often gave Papyrus and you sighed fondly because of it. _I really should visit those two…_

Where the doctor's lips should have been you feel the tender spark of his magic brushing over your nose. Where he was capable of great strength he was also capable of great tenderness. His kisses were feather soft, cooling the sweltering that had risen in your gullet. Centimeters. He was centimeters from… from… you can feel his breath on your lips. He smells of coffee and peppermint.

Your eyes begin to fall shut.

Gaster chuckles and you feel the vibration in his bones. He pulls back just as you rise to meet his teeth with your lips. Your eyes flutter open, unable to hide the disappointment blooming in them as the distance between you suddenly grows. Damnit. You fell for his tricks again. UGH! With him around it was a wonder you haven't Undyne the shit out of the underground yet.

You felt an ache. It almost hurt not to… well… you know. Kiss him.

 _Oh god kiss Gaster?!_ The logical part of your brain screams. You can't do that!

But you want to.

Badly.

Which is why you left his lab in the first place. And now here you were, at the mercy of his torture once more. Falling for his old ways. Will ever change your ways?

[Sweet dreams.]

And just like that he was gone. Poof. Vanished in a swirl of blackness that swallowed him whole. The breath you hadn't realized you were holding finally escaped, your reddening face returning to a much more normal color as you reeled back from the encounter.

A million feelings in one bombarded you, stripping you of your senses as you once more drop the broom. You brought your hands up to your face and buried them as far into each fleshy palm as you could. You couldn't believe you let this happen. You had worked hard to get away from him in the first place but now you were walking right back into the lion's den. You could have just let Grillby and the doctor fight. That would have kept your freedom intact and been done with pettiness once and for all… but you couldn't. Not when the flame monster's beloved bar was at risk of being damaged.

Speaking of Grillby, you turned to face him, both his and your hands dropping down to your sides. Grillby's magic slowly disappeared, each ball of fiery energy blinking out of existence and washing the room back in the glow of the small candles hanging from the ceiling and walls. The bar owner approached you and you felt your knees knock as he ran his eyes over you. They were attentive and his head flickered like the head of a lit match. His flare danced with concern and it brought a fond smile to your face as he inquired about your health.

[Are you ok?]

You smiled up at him, your hands moving slowly as you bent down to pick the broom up once more.

"S-sorry. I'm ok."

He didn't look convinced. [Did he hurt you?]

You shake your head. "I'm fine. Really. Just… exhausted."

You prop the broom against the table and dust your hands across your apron. You can't help the feelings of guilt as they poked and prodded at your conscience. You couldn't even begin to think about what to say to Toriel or the kids you would leave disappointed because of this. You just wanted to go home and sleep this night away. After all, as Gaster had alluded to, you were going to need your strength.

"Can we go home now?"

Grillby remained suspiciously silent but after a moment of deep rooted contemplation, he nodded.

You made haste to collect your things, not staying in the back for the long. You didn't much care for the shadows that swayed over the walls. They reminded you too much of Gaster's eyes and you knew if you allowed yourself, you would just stand there and stare at them until the early morning hours. Sighing you made quick work of locking the door. You glanced over at your roommate as he tugged his scarf further around his neck. Snowdin was rather chilly at night and you were grateful his body was able to keep you nice and warm as you trekked your way through the snow. You did however open an umbrella to keep the gentle flakes from above from hitting his head. Each time they did you could hear a sizzle and a slight plume of smoke dancing in air.

You both walked home in silence. Using the lamp posts as beacons that guided you to a log cabin somewhere private in the woods.

You knew the path just as well as you knew the lab, stepping over fallen branches and playfully kicking the snow at your feet as your walked a well-worn path. A lovely little cottage soon came into view and already you could feel the weight of your evening lift as you spied the familiar red door. Grillby picked through his collection of keys, glancing up at you as you waited to be let inside. A full minute passes before you finally turn to the flame monster, your brows touching the top of your head.

"Grillby?"

He is staring at you, the key to the house jammed into the key hole but left there to hang. His fingers slipped away from it.

You frown. "Are you ok?"

[Are you?]

You feel your cheeks brighten. "O-oh. Yeah I'm fine. My ex-boss is just a little much to handle you know?" You offer a light hearted chuckle. "He used to do that all the time. Heh, silly huh?"

Grillny's flame flickered a little more intensely. Glowing a shade of brighter yellow. [You mean this?]

Your laughter soon caught in your throat as you felt a warm hand brushed across the flesh of your cheek. You blink up at your employer in shock, the touch surprisingly gentle and, dare you say, soft. He didn't have skin but his fire felt as smooth as silk. It didn't burn you but it in fact warmed you. So much so you felt your body leaning in closer towards his own. His heat combated the chill of the air just as it had with the doctor and standing there now, isolated in the middle of the woods, in the dead of night, you never felt safer.

Your hand came up to touch his, pressing your cheek further into his palm. You weren't sure how to answer him but then you suppose he wasn't truly looking for an answer. Just an excuse to touch you.

And you were ok with that.

Your own gloved hand reached up to play with the ends of his fiery tendrils. By the way he throbbed in shades of yellow and red you guessed he was enjoying whatever it was you were doing to him.

The flame monster grabbed your hand and you watched, completely enthralled as the space where his lips should have been touched upon the back of your hand. The feeling was feather soft. An angel's kiss. Barely felt and it filled you to the brim and over with affection and joy. You and the bar owner weren't exactly a couple. The idea was laughable but you would be lying if you said you hadn't entertained the notion. After all Grillby was a kind and thoughtful monster. He may have been different from the others but that was what made him so unique in your eyes. He saw something in you that allowed him to trust you with his beloved business and with that kind of foresight you could only imagine what other surprises lay beyond that flickering mass he called a body.

"Grillby?"

He kept his eyes trained solely on you and instead of feeling the need to shrink you felt empowered.

"I… I wanted to ask you something. F-for a while now." Your throat felt scratchy so you attempted to clear it. "Y-you can say no and I won't be offended. I promise. I-it's silly anyways."

He simply shook his head. As if to convey that nothing you could ever say to him would ever be too silly to hear. Your insides melted and as you raise your hands they danced in the air as if weightless. The seconds ticked away and the more they did the braver you felt yourself become. He nodded for you to continue and your face burned red as you signed to him.

[Kiss?] Your eyes dancing nervously. [May I kiss you?]

Grillby's eyes widened, his glow brightening even further. You almost had to squint your eyes and you quickly signed back, feeling incredibly foolish.

[Sorry. I told you that was silly. Forget I said anything.]

You turned to face the door, prepared to spend the night holed up in your closet thinking of every stupid little mistake you had made that night. Really. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse you had to go and ruin a perfectly good moment. Good going genius.

The heat you felt at your cheeks suddenly burst with magic and you gasp when you felt your entire body turned back to face the flame monster. He took your head in his hands, dragging you up to him. He moved so quickly, too suddenly, that you had no time to process just what he was doing until it was too late.

Red and yellow tendrils licked at your lips. A moistness you never thought could exist pleading for entry as you felt the mysterious appendage swipe across your mouth. Grillby… he was… he was…

KISSING YOU!

 _Oh my_.

You could have exploded with joy then and there. There was no gentle caress of the lips. No subtle prodding of the mouth. Just a wet, wild and open mouthed kiss that set you ablaze in a moment's notice. You felt it. Burning your flesh. Sizzling like lava in your veins. You never imagined a kiss so passionate. So hungry. So-

But he was your boss! Wasn't this sort of thing taboo?

You felt him smirk against your lips. _Smirk_. How was that even-

Your brain short circuited. Fuck it.

You just gave in to the feeling, allowing the fire monster clutching your body close to sweep you like a blushing bride off your feet. You didn't care that the ground came away or that you were being carried inside. You didn't care the bed you landed up was not your own or that the very non-human being touch and caressing your pliable body was burning you up from the inside out. You didn't care about the darkness surrounding you both or the way the trees outside danced in the wind that made its way through the barrier. You couldn't bring yourself to want to, not while Grillby played puppeteer to each and every soft spot you had.

However, had you known about the eyes that were watching you from the woods, you might have shown a slight interest. Especially as those starlight eyes that peered vehemently at you through the window gleamed with serious and absolute furious determination.

* * *

 **Wow 8k+ words? Usually anything more than 4k kicks my butt, but I guess that's the power of inspiration huh? Never take it for granted.**

 **Well I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know what you guys thought of it.**

 **Ciao!**


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